System of electrical distribution and control



Sept 1927' c. F. KETTERJ'NG ET AL SYSTEM 0F ELECTRICAL DISTRIBUTION AND CONTROL Original Filed Sept. 1 16 l l'l l l'l l l l l gl' Patented Sept. 13, 1927.

UNI-TED: STATES PPATENT OFFICE;-

QHAfR/LESKI'L KETTERINGA'ND WILLIAMIA'J CHRYST, OFiDAYTON, OHIO, ASSIGNORS, BY-

MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, 1T0 DELGO-LIGHTL COMIPANY, OF DAYTON, OHIO,- A CORPORA- TION- OF DELAWARE. Tl

SYSTEM or ELECTRICAL DISTRIB TION, AND common Application fiIedSeptember 14'; 1916, Serial No. 120,098. Renewed September 30, 1921."'$eria1 No. 504,499.

This invention relates toimproveinents in the control of electrical systems, and more particularly: to that type of system which includes an electric unitand an engine adaptedto drive said unit, and also to be driven thereby.

Onef-of the objects. of the present inven-j tion'is to provide a' system of the above 111Q1lrent, preferably a storage battery, and cause said electric unit to operate as a inotor'and thereby crank the engine; L

This same electric unit, however, will tenclto operate as agenerator as soon as the engine becomes self-actuatiug, and certain of thefdevices associated with the electric unit will be broughtinto effectby the electrical condition of said electric'unit to automatiticularly to diagrammatic Fig. 1, it will'be noted that there is illustrated a power plant,"

including an engine 20, "which may be of 3 any suitable type, but which in the present 1" instance is shown as being of the single cyl-' '60 indertype. This engine is connected to an electric machine 21, in any suitable manner,

This electric machine is capable of operation either as a niotor'or as a generatonand is adapted when operating as ainotor't-o crank said' engine and to effect the starting thereof, while after said engine has become self-actuating this electric machine will be driven as a generator to furnish current for charging the battery 22, or supplying power to any other work devices.

The electric machine has been clearly described, illustrated and claimed in our co- 25, 1920. This machine is preferably so wound that when operating as a niotorfor *ljending en No. 1341,327Qissue'd 'May starting purposes, it operates as a compoundx wound machine, while when it is operating as a ge1ieratoi,'it operates as ash'unt-Wound machine.

', The electric machineis controlled 'by means-ofan electric controller switch 23',

cally control the circuit connections between said unity-and the battery,fso as to 1115MB;

tain these connections closed during -the operation of-the engine.

Provisions are also included Hit-1115 systern so that if abnormalelectricalconditions which, as" will be seenby referring to Figs; 2 and 3, comprises a lowresistance coil'25, aiida high resistance coil 24, suitably wound upon a-"core 26. These windings, together with the core 26, constitute an electro-ma are present, the controller switch element;

will automatically tend 'to discontinue the closed circuit connections and thereby stop or slowdown the operation of the engine. These provisions may include theignitio n circuit and tend to' open'said'circuit, when the controller dev ceiis' actuated to release the circuit connections from' closed "position.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention" Wlll" appearhereinafter, reference .being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein a preferred form of one embodiment of the present invention is clear- 1y set forth." A

In the drawings Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view of one form of the present invention, including the engine, electric 'unit and the controlling de vice. I

Figs. Qand 3 are detail-ed views of the elec tric :circuit 'control'leri" I Referring'to the drawingsyand more'parnet which is mounted upon thefraine 2 in anysuita'ble manner.

An armature 28 is pivotally mounted on the frame 27, as atthe point 29, and is norinally in the position shown in Fig. 3. Ar- "ranged directly below the armature 28 an operating element or handle 30 is provided,

also beingpivoted to the frame 27 as at 29. i

This handle 30 is provided with a spring .31, which is normally in engagement with "the armature 28.

In the operation of the "presentsystein,

its will be described more in detail hereinafter, this handle 30 is manually actuated by the attendant of the system, to'move the i armature 28 into such position asto close cer- 'tain circuit connections, and the spring '31 is provided sothat if undue pressure is appliedto the handle 30,this spring will absorb the excess pressure and pr'event injury to the other parts of'the controller.

The handle 30 is also associated with the spring contact plate 32 (see Fig. 2). This plate 32 is normally in contact with contact plate 33, which, as is described hereinafter, is connected to one side of the series field winding of the electric machine.

Supposing that the engine 20 is at rest and it is desired to bring the system into operation. The attendant will exert pressure on the handle 30, in the direction of the arrow A (see Fig. 3), which will tend to force the armature 28 of the controller switch into such a position that the contact plate 35 will be forced against the plates 36 and 37 and the contact plates32 will be thrown out of circuit closing position with the plate 33.

This will permit the flow of current from the positive side of the battery 22, through conductor 40, to the point 41. At this point a portion of the current will pass through the conductor 42, to the positive brush 43 of the electric machine. Thence across the armature to the negative brush 44, through conductor 45, series windings 46, conductor 47 to contact plate 33, and thence through the wire 48 to contact plate 36. From this point the current passes through the cont-act plate 35, to the contact plate 37, thence through the low resistance or series coil 25 of the circuit controller to the conductor 50, thence through the ampere-hour-meter 51, to the conductor 52, back to the negative side of the battery.

It has been described, that the main flow of current divides at the point 41 of conductor 40, a portion thereof passing through conductor 53, to the high resistance or shunt coil 24 of the circuit controller, thence to the contact plate 36, where it will again merge with the main flow of current, passing through contact plate 35 and low resistance coil 25, back. to the negative side of the battery through the circuit heretofore described.

The magnetic efiect of the flow of current through the low resistance or series coil 25, during the starting operation, is opposed to the magnetic effect of the flow of current through the high resistance or shunt coil 24, so that if the attendant releases pressure from the handle 30, the armature will not remain in circuit closing position, but will return to its normal position and thereby break the main circuit between the battery and electric machine.

It will therefore be seen that if for any reason the attendant releases pressure from the handle 30, there will be no further flow from the battery to the electric machine. This constitutes a protective device, in view of the fact that if the armature 28 remained in attracted position, and the engine should not. become self-actuating, due possibly to the exhaustion of the fuel supply, or for any other reason, current from the battery would continue to flow through the electric machine and operate the same as a motor, until the entire current supply of the battery was exhausted.

It has also been explained heretofore, that the electric machine when operating as a motor, operates as a compound wound machine, that is, the series winding 46 and the shunt winding 60 are accumulative in effect.

By referring to Fig. 1 of the drawing, it will be noted that the shunt winding 60 is connected to the conductor 42 as at 61, while the other terminal of the windings 60 is connected to the conductor 45 at the point 62, which is equivalent to connecting it directly to the positive and negative commutator brushes.

As soon as the engine becomes self-actuating, it will tend to drive the electric machine as a generator, and current will then flow from the positive brush 43, through conductors 42 and 40 to the positive side of the battery, across. the battery, through the amperehour-meter 51 in the opposite direction to that when the electric machine is operating as a motor, thence through the conductor 50, p

to the low resistance or series coil 25 of the circuitcontroller. From this coil, the current will-pass through the contact plate 37,

common contact plate 35, contact plate 36,-

wire 48, to contact plate 33, spring contact plate 32, to conductor 64, to the negative brush 44 of the electric machine.

Current from the positive brush of the electric machine also passes from the point 41 of conductor 42, through the conductor 53 to the high resistance or shunt coil 24 of the controller device, and thence to the contact plate 36 where it joins the current fromthe low resistance or series coil 25 and passes through wire48 back to the negative brush of electric machine by the path already clescribed. It will be observed that the flow of current through the low resistance or series coil 25 is now opposite in direction to what it was during the starting operation, so that its magnetic efiect now supplements that of the high resistance or shunt coil 24 with the result that the armature 28 is held in attracted position and the contact plate 35 carried thereby is held in circuit closing position by the controlling device.

From a consideration of the foregoing it should be clear that during the starting operation, when the circuit at 32-33 is open, the series field winding 46 is effective so that the electric machine operates as a motor with series characteristics. When the electric machine operates as a generator (due to the self-actuation of the engine) and begins to charge the battery, it likewise operates with series characteristics so long as the attendant fit) intoenga-gemenhto short circuit the series winding 4C6 thereby causing the generator to:

assume shunt characteristics. If the attendantrinow releasesthe handle 30 of the controlling device,-the contact plate 85 will be held in its Circuitclosing position by the magnetic-action of the controlling device, as above eXplained,-but the-spring contact plate 32, which is not held by the magnetic action of thecentrolling'device, will fall away returning to its original position in contact with the contact plate 38. Vihen in this position (Fig; 1) it will be seen that the circuit-'from point 62 to contact plate 83 throughconductorfit and spring contact plate 82, is in parallel -with the circuit through conductor 45, series field winding 46 of tlie electric machine, and conductor 47, that is; the first mentioned circuit short cirei'iits -the series field winding 46 and renders it inoperative.

Theshuntfield circuit is apparent by referr ing to-Figll, one terminal thereof being connected to the -conductor G-l at the point- "is, whentsuilicient current has passed from the electric "machine through this instrument, to effect a complete charging of the battery,-"thevhand will have moved over the diali'il' into position to engage with the contact ,plate i2, 'andwill have moved this contact plate away from contactplate 73. These contact plates- 72 and-73 are directly in the-ignitioncircuit, so that as soon as these contacts are separated, the ignition circuit-will be broken, and "the' engine, de- -prlved of ignition, will therefore be brought to astop; -It will be observed that'when the"i-gnition circuit 'is broken by the ampere-hour -meter,-as above explained,- the e'hginebeginstoslow down and as soon as theflvoltag'e of the dynamo falls belowthat of the-battery-there is'a counter-rush or flow of current from the battery to thedynamo which causes the automatic controller switch 23 to disconnect the battery from the dynamo in the manner already described.

The amperehour meter 51 as employed in the -present' system is in its essential character "a: means for determining the state/o t charge of the ba-tteryn Its initial setting is,

made by hand to agree with ;the stateof charge of the battery at that time and when it isrthus set or placedinstepr with thebattery it indicates and measures the amount of current required to bring thewbattery up to fullchargc, and when that amount of current has been supplied to the battery during the charging operation it operates automaticallyto stop the engine as already, described. It will be apparent from the foregoing that any suitable or equivalent means for determining thestate of charge of the battery maybe employed which is a measure of the amount of charging current or en glne operation requlred to bring the battery up tofull chargeand which stops the engine when, according to its indication, the

battery-is fully charged.

As is illustrated in Fig. 1, this ignition circuit does not include the entire battery 22, but may be so connected with the battery that the voltage of the ignition system will be less than the total voltage of the bat- 1 tery 22.

The circuit connections for theignition system are as follows: The conductor 80 is tapped from one of the positive'iplates 81 of the battery 22, and is connected directly to contact plate 72, which is associated-with the ampere-hour-meter 51. normally in contact wlth contactsplate 73,

This plate 72 which in turn is connected to the conductor.

83. A11 induction coil 84, including the ordinary prnnary andv secondary windings,

has its primary winding connected to one end of the conductor 83, while the opposite 1 end of the primary winding is. connected to ice the timeror make and break device 85.

This timer in turnis connected :to the'vmovablecontact'plate 85, which is associated.

with the armature 29 of the controller switch.

Now, when the movable switch element or 'handle 30 isin circuit closing position, the

ignition circuit is completed through :.-the

" low resistance or series .coil 25, conductor Ill),

50, thence through the meter 51 back to the a negative side of thebattery, via conductor 52.

As has'beeii explained hereto-fore, it the engine does not become self-actuating when it is being cranked by the operation of the electric machine acting as a motor, and the operator or attendant releases thepressure on the handle 30 of the controllerswitch, the -movable contact plate 85 willreturn to its normal circuit breaking position and not only'dis-establish the maincharging circuit between the electric machine and the battery, but will also dis-establish the ignition circuit.

Again, if the voltage or potential across the terminals of the electric machine becomes less than the voltage across the ter minals of the storagebattery, during the charging operation, current will immedi ately tend to flow from the battery through the low resistance. or series coil 25 of the controlle switch, in such a direction teat it will effect a change in polarity of the electro-magnet Q3, and thereby thr n: the armature 28 of cc. roller switch together with the movable contact plate 35 into circuit breaking position, This will also eilect a break in the ignition circuit as well as in the main charging circuit, and cause the engine to stop, thereby stopping the operation of the electric machine, until the opera tor or attendant again actuates the controller switch manually. 7

While the form of me anism herein shown and described co tut-es a preferred embodiment of one form 01? the invention, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted and ions changes and alterations made in toe shape, size. and proportion of the elements therein without departing from tl e spirit ant, scope of the invention.

Having described our invention what we claim is as follows:

1. In an electrical system, the combination with an engine; oil a dynamo having a plurality of field circuits and capable of operation as a motor for starting the engine or as a generator wioh certain of the field circuits operative; a storage battery; manually controlled means for connecting the dynamo with the storage battery and for bringing other of the field circuits into effective operation in order that the dynamo operate as a high torque motor; and provisions cooperating With said means for maintaining the circuit connections between the dynamo and battery when the dynamo output exceeds a certain amount, while permitting said other field circuits to be rendered incli'ective.

2. In an electrical system, the combination with an engine; of a dynamo having a plurality of field circuits a d capable or" operation as a motor for st: ing the engine or as a generator with certain 01" the field circuits operative; a storage battery; and a controller including manually operable means i'or connectir j the battery witi the dynamo and for bringing other of the field 4. Llh) circuits in efiective operation in order that the dynamo may operate as high torque mot-or, said controller including automatic means for maintaining the dynamo connected with the battery when the dynamo output exceeds a certain amount while permitting certain of the fie d windings to be rendered inefiectivc. V

3. In an electrical system, the combination with an engine; of a dynamo having series and shunt field windin s; storage battery; and a controller including manually operable mcans for connectin the battery with the dynamo and for bringing the series field into etl'ectlve operation in order that the dynamo may operate asa high torque motor with the dynamo and for interrupting the short circuit around the series field winding in order that the dynamo may operate as a high torque motor to start the engine, said controller including automatic means for maintaining the connection with the battery and dynamo when the dynamo output ei-rce ds a certain amount while permitting the series field to be short circuited.

5. In'an electrical system, the combination with an engine; or a dynamo having a plurality of field circuits and capable of operation as a motor for starting the enginev or as a generator with certain of the field circuits operative; ignition apparatus for the engine; a current source; and a controller including manually operable means for connecting the current source with the ignition apparatus and with the dynamo and for bringing other of the field circuits into ciiective operation in order that the dynamo may operate as a high torque motor, said controller including automatic means for maintaining the connection between the ignition apparatus and current source while permitting certain of the field windings to be rendered ineffective.

6. In an electric system, the combination with an engine; or" a dynamo having a pin rality of field circuits and capable of operation as a motor for starting the engineer as a generator with certain of the field circuits operative; ignitionapparatus for the engine; a storage battery; and a controller including manually operable neans'for connecting the battery with the ignition apparatus and with the dynamo and for bringing other 01" the field circuits into effective operation in order that the dynamo may opcrate as a high torque motor, said controller including automatic means for maintaining the connections between the ignition apparatus, battery and dynamo while permitting certain of the field windings to be rendered inoperative.

7. In an electrical system, the combination with an engine; of a dynamo having a plurality 0t field circuits and capable of operation as a motor for start-ing the engine or as a generator with certain of the field circuits ber, an armature and anelectromagnet 'hav v urging magnet windings said-manual member having provisionsto effect the movement of into effective operation. imthe armature to eiiectthe connection otthe 1 battery and dynamo and provisions for i i bringing certain field circuits into efl'fective operation whereby-the dynamo will operate as a high torque motor to :start-theiengine 1 said magnet windings being arranged vthat vwhen theidynamo is generating the v armavturew1ll beautomaticallymaintained 111 1 circuit closing'position while permitting the w manual member to bereleased'whereby to .render certain of the field CII'CHItS 1noperative. I

8; In an electrical system, the combination:

V .manually. operable means cooperating therewith for: connecting the battery fwith the dynamo and. ignition .apparatusjand ,for bringing certainother of the'fieldlcircuits In an electrical system,-the combination with anengine; ot'a dynamo having a plurality." citfieldcircuits and *capablej of operation as a motor for starting the enwgine or asa generator with certain of the ifield circuitscoperative; a storage battery; and acontrollrfor connecting the battery withthedynamo and. for bringing other of 'the/ field circuits ini effective operation in orderntha t the dynamo may operate as a high torque motor, said controller including V -automatic means for maintaining the dynamo connected with the battery when the I with an engine and a dynamo electric ma-. .dynamo output. exceeds a .certainpamount zo' -chine capable of operation as a motor or as a generator, and having a plurality of =field windings; a current source; circuitconnections between the machinewand current source including a switch for bringing cer-. wtain of the field windings into operation, Hand a secondswitch in normal positiontaus ingother of the field windings to be ineflec- ":tiV 8; fl CO1I1II1OI L operating member for mova; ing :the "switches into positions for bringing the windings into efiiective relation for motor r-operation and electro-magnetic means i acting automatlcally upon the operation of and an independently movable handle ,for i -rendering'icertain ot the field windings ineffective. 4 12. In an electricalsystem; the combination with an engine; of a dynamo connected thereto, said dynamo havingshunt and series fieldwindingsgand being a capable of iopera tion as a motor to startitheengine or as a 1 generator I driven thereby storage battery adapted to be'connected in circuit with the dynamo; an-ignition circuit for the/engine; means including a switch for automatically controlling the main circuit connections bemthermachine as a generator for maintaining tween thebattery anddynamo and between wwthe first switch in saidposition; while perthe battery and ignition circuitysaid:means mitting the release of the operating membera-having provisions; for rendering. certain of t to allow the return of the' second switch to @normal position.

:9. In an electrical system, the combination with an engine; of a dynamo' having a plu-' 40 rality of field circuits and capable'of-operation asla motor to startthe engine or: as a i -f igenerator with certainfield circuits opera -tive; a1storagebattery;means for auton1ati- 1i -cally' maintaining connection betweenthe dy-i namo and the battery when" the generator output exceeds a certainvalue and for rlis i connecting the 1 battery rtrom the generaf or- 1 when the outputitalls b'elowa certainvalue; 'and manually operable means cooperating therewith for connecting'the battery with the dynamo'and for bringing-certainother 1 P of the field -eircuits into efiective 'roperation.

- 10. In an electrical 'system, the combination with ane-ngine; of'a'dynamohavinga plurality of field circuits and capable of operation as a motor to start the engine .or

i as a generator with 'ce'rtai-n' field circuits op erative; a storage battery; ignition appara-' tus for the engine; means for a automatically maintaining connection between the dynamo, ignition apparatus and the battery when the generator output exceeds a certain value and for disconnecting the battery from the generator and ignition apparatus when b the output falls below a certain value; and

: saidi field. windings inoperative understated conditions of operation whereby the motoring characteristics -01": said dynamo. willi difler from its generating characteristics; ;"'.and means independent of said first-mentioned means for rendering the ignition circuit ineffective. 13; In an'electricplant for charging storage batteries; the combination of amen- ;gine; ignition means therefor; a vdyna moelectric machine driven thereby; a storage battery adapted 'to be connected in circuit charged thereby a main switch; in; said ciricuit; magneticaneans for holding the main switch closed comprising a low-resistance winding in-series with said-circuitland a high-resistance winding having one endcon- -nected with said circuit between the generaton and: saidwmain switch and the other 1: end' connected" :wit-lr said circuit between the "generator; -and -th-e1-battery; and means de- 'inpendent'luponwthecontinued operationlofthe engine and operating automatically to stop the engine and to modify the magnetic ac tion of said magnetic means whereby to open said main switch.

14. In an electric plant for charging storage batteries; the combination of an engine;

ignition means therefor; a dynamo-electrie with said dynamo-electric machine tobev machine driven thereby;a storage battery controlling means being responsive to the state of charge of the battery and operating automatically to stop the engine and to reduce the magnetic strength of the magnetic means whereby to open said main switch.

15. In an electric plant for charging storage batteries; the combination of an engine;

ignition means therefor; a dynamo-electric main switch in said circuit, magnetic means machine driven thereby; a storage battery adapted to be connected in circuit with said dynamo-electric machine to be charged thereby; I and controlling means comprising a for holding the main switch closed, said magnetic means including a series winding in series with said circuit and a shunt winding connected across the terminals of the dynamo-electric machine, said controlling means being responsive to the state of charge of the battery and operating automatically to open the ignition circuit to stop the engine and to reduce the magnetic strength of the magnetic means whereby to open said main switch.

16. In an electric plant for charging st0rage batteries; the combination of an engine;

ignition means therefor; a dynamo-electric machine driven thereby; a storage battery adapted to be connected in circuit with'said dynamo-electric machine to be charged thereby; and controlling means comprising a main switch in said circuit, means for closing said switch, electro-magnetic means for holding said switch closed, said closing means and said holding means being so arranged that said closing means can be re stored to its open position without opening said switch, said controlling means being responsive to the state of charge of the battery and operating automatically to stop the engine and to reduce the magnetic strength of the magnetic means whereby to open said main switch.

17. In comb'nation, a generator, a storagebattery, a current meter, an electric circuit including said generator, storage battery and current meter, an electro-magnet, an arma-- ture therefor constituting a switch adapted,

when the electro-magnet is energized, to maintain said circuit closed, means for energizing said electro-magnet operative only when said circuit is closed, manual means for moving said armature to close the switch and means controlled by said mete-r for impedin said electro-magnet energizing means.

18. Iln combination, a gas engine, an ignition circuit therefor, a generator, a driving connection between the engine and generator, a storage battery, a current meter, and electric circuit including said generator, storage battery and current meter, an electro-magnet, an armature therefor constituting a switch adapted, when theelectro-magnet is energized, to maintain said'last named circuit and said ignition circuit closed, means for energizing said electro-magnet operative when said circuit is closed, manual means for moving said armature-t0 close the switch, and means controlled by said meter "for impeding said electrdmagnet energizing means.

19. In a combination, a generator, a storage battery, a current meter, an el ectro-magnet having a series and a shunt coil, an electric circuit including said generator, storage battery, current meter, and magnet series coil, an armature for said magnet constitut- "ing a switch adapted to maintain said circuit closed when the series and shunt coilsare energized, manual means for moving said armature to close the switch,lmeans for energizing said shunt coil, and means controlledby said current meter for interfering with said energizing means.

20. In combination, a gas engine, an ignition circuit therefor, a dynamo-electric ma chine, a driving connection between the gas engine and dynamo-electric machine, a current source, a'current meter, an electro-magnet having a series and a shunt coil, an electric circuit including said dynamo-electric machine, current source, current meter and magnet series coil, an armature for said magnet constituting a switch adapted, when both coils of the electromagnet are ener- 'gized to maintain said last named circuit and said ignition circuit closed, manual means for moving said armature to close the switch, means for energizing said shunt coil andemeans controlled by said current meter for interrupting said energizing means.

In testimony whereof we aflix our signatures.

CHARLES FQKETTERING. WILLIAM A. cnnrsr. 

